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Walk up Ysgyryd Fawr

By Dave Roberts   

on August 31, 2018    No ratings yet.

Walk up Ysgyryd Fawr

Route Essentials

Route Summary

Short walk to “The Skirrid” – a short hill with an extensive view on the edges of the Brecon Beacon’s National Park

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

4.62 km

Ascent

307 m

Time

2 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Near Llanddewi Skirrid - B4521 Car Park at SO 328 163

Difficulty

Easy Moderate Walk

Hazards

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Brecon Beacons Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Walk up Ysgyryd Fawr Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Walk up Ysgyryd Fawr

The hill of Ysgyryd Fawr (anglicised to Skirrid) is an outlying peak of the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons and has a clearly recognisable profile that it owes to historic land slips. The name derives from ysgwyd – which means to shake or shiver in Welsh and probably as due to it’s propensity to land slides. Ysgyryd Fawr has been in National Trust ownership since 1939 as are the nearby summits of Y Fal and Blorenge.

It’s also known as the Holy Mountain, and on the summit you’ll see the ruins of St Michael’s Chapel. It may also have gained the name from a legend that the landslip happened during the Crucifixion.

The walk starts off through ancient forests and flanks the hill to eventually ascend to the summit from the north. The views from the lowly 486m high summit are extensive and stretch from the Brecon Beacons in one direction and into England towards the Mendips, Gloucestershire and Somerset in the other. The walk returns along Ysgyryd Fawr’s summit ridge and back to the start.

Walk up Ysgyryd Fawr Route Description

The Full Route can be seen at this link.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

Short walk to “The Skirrid” – a short hill with an extensive view on the edges of the Brecon Beacon’s National Park

Route Start Location: Near Llanddewi Skirrid - B4521 Car Park at SO 328 163

Distance
Ascent
Time
4.62 km 307 m 2 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Easy Moderate Walk

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

None, but Y Fenni (Abergavenny) isn’t too far away and all facilities can be found there.

Hazards

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking : SO 328 163

Ample parking at start, but it is paid for.

Public Transport:

none

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Brecon Beacons Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps

Guidebooks:

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Dave Roberts

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